New year nowhere (just left of the middle)

Spent New year up in the Lakes again.  Fantastic night with the obligetory pint or two of Yates, and a bit of music provided by a couple of Festerers.

Wet - not really the right word.  Liquid mud more like!

I got home and hung the tent up outside to let January's rain wash the mud off!

A New Folk Club

Well, not really new, but I only just found Baldock Folk Club at the Orange Tree at Baldock.  When I first approached this pub, and saw Greene King outside I didn't expect the fantastic range of eight real ales on.  Buntingfords always available!

Saw Belhazzars Feast playing, who were great, but a bit Christmassy, then I found out it was their Christmas special, so I will let them off that one (Bah Humbug!).

Sunday on the boat, I now have most of the control panel equipment fitted.  I'm not sure about the fuse panels though, I might yet replace these with circuit breakers, which seem to have a lower 'on' resistance, and a better reliability.

Monday evening, I saw Steeleye Span with the accoustic Strawbs at the Barbican Centre.  I thought the Strawbs were tedious, but Steeleye were fantastic.

A late night in church.

I went to Hebden Bridge on the wednesday night.  When I got off the train I saw the canal was closed for maintainance.  Maybe they are getting some new lock gates at last.



Back to the Trades club down by the canal to see Lau. For support they had some local musicians with a great combination of fiddle, pipes and sousaphone!


Lau were superb as usual, with guitar strings, fiddle strings and bits of accordion flying all over the place!

I travelled to London for a Saturday night in the Union Chapel for Ade Edmondson & The Bad Shepherds final gig (for now anyway).


Fantastic gig.  Andy Dinan was on fire.

Had quite a late night in the after show party, drinking "3 Bad Shepherds" beer too!

Monday night brought the last in this series of ISIHAC recorded in Watford this time.  Watford has a great hall for this event, but they only have about five car parking spaces in the whole town!

Sunday, and I got back to the boat. I got the door for the control panel in the Engine roopm fitted and then painted.

Now I had wet paint, I couldn't really do much more in the engine room so I turned my attention to the Hot & Cold plumbing runs.  This Speedfit is great, the whole run only took me about 40 mins.  I also put a run of 15mm clips in place ready for the gas pipe.

I took a picture of the huge 175A alternator to try and work out the wiring when I got back to an internet connection during the week.

Fog & Fireworks

On saturday night Luke asks "Do you want to come to the pub to help set off fireworks?".  Well, let me think about this...
£500 worth of fireworks, 20 mins.  I would like to think we put on a good show though.  I thought it would be rude not to spend the rest of the night drinking beer.

I left work early on Tuesday and got the train up to Newcastle to See next live recording of I'm sorry I haven't a clue. Marcus Brigstock was the guest this time.  Its quite a few years since I've been to Newcastle, painful memories.

The show was in the new Sage center, which was very impressive. Three halls, and a bar on each level serving real ale at 2.70 a pint.  Very good!

Thursday evening I was at Band on the wall to see the Bad Shepherds, and to launch the £ Bad Shepherds beer.  The beer had run out by the time the band were finished, so they didn't really get any!

Friday it was Bury Beer Festival.  Seven handpumps on our bar, with the new "3 Bad Shepherds" beer flying out.  It ran out on the Friday night, so we fetched some more in on the Saturday morning.  Lucky it drops bright after only a couple of hours!

Dogs Welcome

I went down to Guilford to see I'm Sorry I haven't a Clue.

I've never been to Guilford before, and the town seemed dead on a Monday night.  There are some great old buildings, but it was getting dark, and I only had the phone with me.

The show started with Jeremy Hardy as guest. 



There are so many laughs in this show that you can't easily remember them when the show is over. 

 I'll have to see how much is broadcastable in a couple of weeks when it is on the radio.


We got a new sign for the bar...






I went to see Marry Waterson and Oliver Knight supporting the Elisa Carthy Band. Marry has a fantastic voice with some really good moody material.  


Eliza carthy then lifted the evening with her zany outlook on music.






Managed to get a couple of hours on the boat and measured for the hinged panel for the engine and other controls. 


 I lined the engine room on this side ready for all the electrics.




I spent Thursday at the SIBA North beer competition in Manchester.  There was a great selection of beers on, 260 in all, served 60 at a time on handpump.


Back to the boat on Sunday, and I managed to get the Electric Cupboard structure built and primed, and the door blank cut ready for fitting the controls. As I had no mains electric available I took the door home to cut the holes for the instruments using a jigsaw.






Sunday night I saw Vin Garbut at the Sun at Hitchin.  Still as funny as ever, I love his storys about Rudyard Kipling. Great Sport.

 

Kris Drever was at the Met with Eamonn Coyne and Megan Henderson.
 I had only seen Megan once before with Breabach but her fiddle playing makes a great combination with Kris and Eamonn.